Sometimes you catch them when they are talking about something else

Buried in this article about the Vatican evaluation of seminaries, you will find this intruiguing admission from Rev. James Wehner, rector of St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie; an admission not usually heard when the subject is women's ordination or church attendance:

"Eighty percent of the church is run by women..."

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Headlines we'd like to see:
"Getting drunk and yelling racist or anti-semitic remarks does not mean that the seminary candidate is racist or anti-semitic"
"Getting drunk and yelling Praise Allah does not mean...."

Posted by: -
Sep. 20, 2005 2:08 PM ET USA

And even if getting drunk and engaging in homosexual behavior does not mean you are a homosexual, someone who engages in that sort of behavior should not be in the seminary.

Posted by: -
Sep. 20, 2005 12:44 PM ET USA

Good point Abraham, I found that strange too. I can't imagine a healthy heterosexual man getting drunk and . . . going after another man (or boy)? Drink may weaken one's ability to resist temptation, but I don't think it creates totally new temptations.

Posted by: Abraham Tolemahcs -
Sep. 20, 2005 10:28 AM ET USA

What I found even more disturbing is Wehners attempt to excuse a man who "has too much to drink" and then engages in a "perversion" but that does not mean he's gay??? On the contrary. Alcohol generally reduces our inhibitions so I would argue that someone who gets drunk & does a little homosexual experimentation does have homosexual tendencies & has no business being a seminarian. If this same man becomes a drunk priest and puts the moves on an adolescent boy it's too late to say "Oops."

Posted by: Canismater -
Sep. 20, 2005 9:05 AM ET USA

If only the "ma" in dogma was the 80% of the female presence in the Church. Maybe this is a cry for help. In case you haven't been in the administration of the church in the US lately, like the USCCB, you'll find that as far as the eye can see there are women religious who are too qualified to be in the classroom and have an (under)hand in running the show. Do a survey as to how many women are involved with formation/admissions of seminaries and diaconate programs. Are there priests in convents?

Posted by: Pseudodionysius -
Sep. 20, 2005 12:08 AM ET USA

I noticed that as well. Looks like the she priest is out of the bag.

Posted by: Fr. William -
Sep. 19, 2005 11:23 PM ET USA

The Church doesn't need any more reasons to ban homosexuals from the seminaries, for the Church's Teaching is clear about the matter: homosexuality is a grave disorder; therefore no homosexuals, no gays in seminaries. But, sure, here's one more reason: With "80 percent of the Church run by women," we certainly don't need men acting like women or playing the part of women.
In this "Visitation," may the Church just clean the stables, close some seminaries, & strengthen the few that remain.